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New Windows 7 64 Bit installation and old programs.  Excellent explanation on this web page  http://www.vistax64.com/drivers/168477-installing-32-bit-odbc-drivers-vista-x64.html on why they don't show up. I read several accounts that said use c:\windows\sysWow64\odbc32.exe, which I didn't understand. I kept trying to find how to install it to run in the existing ODBC admin from the control panel, but didn't know I was already running that program and the problem is simply that both programs are named the same, one is for 64 bit and one is for 32 bit.  So, just double click the executable in that directory and you'll get a new ODBC admin tool that shows all the missing ODBC drivers.

One of the great frustrations of IT is chasing one's tail around and around in circles. Nothing drives me up a wall more that starting a simple job and then because of poor support from the vendor, I have to try every machination to try and get something done. Such is the case with the HP Officejet Pro 8500 910A install. It was just a simple network install. Nothing to it, right?

Well, the problem is, if you pick the server 2003 driver for this printer, it isn't the right driver. Well, it is, but the executable won't let you install it. I get a pop up after downloading the 45Meg file and running the install, it says computer does not meet the following system requirement(s). Hogwash! I just selected the OS I wanted the driver for, but noooo. HP had to give you a driver that doesn't work for Server 2003. You have to install it for XP, Vista or Windows 7, but not server 2003. I tried downloading the driver for server 2008 WS32, but it's the same driver. I'd bet that it won't install on that server either (if there is such a server).

Finally, I just created a port for the IP address that printer is on and then located the driver inf in the temp location where previous failed attempts stored the file with the "have disk" button and installed the driver that way. The system took it. But it's retarded that a job that should only take 15 minutes took over an hour.

Recently installed Avast Anti-virus Pro at an accounting firm where they used CCH suite of software and found Avast grossly slowed down normal operations. The effect was worse on a Windows 7 32-bit machine that it was on Windows XP. I called CCH tech support who recommended that we exclude the Avision and AW32 directories, but this didn't help. I also disabled the virus checking for all areas and that didn't help either.

The process that slowed down to unusable was in CCH when the user loads Trial Balance from the CCH Tax software using the quick link button. There is little indication that the software is hung and the user clicks around the screen, sometimes breaking the AW32.exe application. Other times, it shows the application is not responding. 

Only solution was to uninstall Avast.